First bushfire for the season

Just got back to Williamstown after three days at a wildfire. I was fortunate in that I got the easy jobs - scribe for the guys in charge on the first day and then "blacking out" in a slip on unit (ute with 400 lt water tank and hose) for days two and three. I have every admiration for the guys that get dropped in by helicopter and build fire breaks by hand, and for our tremendous bulldozer driver who built a fire break overnight in the dark up a 38 degree slope. You had to really see that track to appreciate what he had done, and for those of those of thus who turned up on the Thursday morning expecting to have to do it by hand - thanks again!

I would have had some great phootos of Elvis (the huge water carrying helicopter) dropping 9,000 lts of water and other choppers landing on the main Halls Gap to Dunkeld road, but unfortunately the batteries ran out in my digital camera. But I do have one shot that provides some idea of what it was like. I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and a safe and happy new year. Love Sylvia